6 honoured for outstanding contribution

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians exemplifying the spirit of Merdeka in their works, achievements and contributions, are honoured with the prestigious 2014 Merdeka Award alongside with grants for innovative researches.
The Merdeka Award Trust, founded by Petronas, ExxonMobil and Shell, conferred six individuals with the 2014 Merdeka Awards for contributions in one of the five categories namely Education and Community; Environment; Health, Science and Technology; Outstanding Scholastic Achievement and Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia.
The recipients are Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid (LAT) for Education and Community; Mohd Khan Momin Khan for Environment; Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May for Health, Science and Technology; Prof Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad and Prof Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement; and Datuk Earl of Cranbrook for Outstanding Contribution To The People Of Malaysia.
Announcing the recipients, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, who is the Royal Patron Of The Merdeka Award Trust, said the first four categories are opened to Malaysians while the fifth is reserved for a non-Malaysian individual or organisation.
"Each recipient will receive a trophy, a work of art by Malaysian artist Latiff Mohidin, and a cash award of RM500,000.
"The search, nomination and selection of Merdeka Award recipients, which began in January this year, were extensive and rigorous.
"In the final round of selection only the most outstanding achievements and contributions are recognised," he said at the award ceremony here today.
Sultan Nazrin said the Merdeka Award, has been given to 22 individuals and two organisations since it was established in 2007.
Alongside with the awards, two young science experts, Dr Kamalan Jeevaratnam, 33, and Dr Lim Hong Ngee, 34, were awarded the 2014 Merdeka Awards Grant For International Attachment, which is a signature outreach programme by the Trust.
They will both have the opportunity to undergo an attachment of up to three months at an internationally-recognised institution of their choice to pursue their researches on cardiac cellular therapy using stem cells and nanotechnology-based breast cancer testing scheme respectively.